Workers’ health under climate change: UV Radiation

Series of ten infographics describing the main risks to workers’ health related to climate change and the environment International Labour Organization (ILO) 2024

Author

Affiliation

Edgar Rodriguez-Huerta

University of Nottingham, Rights Lab

Effect of excessive UV Radiation on workers’ health

Agricultural workers are highly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation due to prolonged outdoor work, often with limited access to protective measures, constituting a significant and frequently underestimated risk ¹

Short-term effects include sunburn (erythema), eye irritation, photokeratitis, and acute heat-UV interactions that intensify dehydration and fatigue. These effects can reduce work capacity and increase the likelihood of errors and injuries.

Long-term exposure is strongly associated with non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers, premature skin aging, immune system suppression, and chronic eye conditions such as cataracts and pterygium. Repeated UV exposure over a working lifetime disproportionately affects agricultural workers, contributing to long-term health burdens, loss of income, and reduced quality of life.

Addressing UV radiation through access to protective clothing, shaded rest areas, adjusted work schedules, and occupational health policies is essential to safeguard workers’ health and uphold decent work standards in agriculture.

UV Radiation score

UV-Radiation is based on normalisation of the number “High-UV” days = daily dose ≥ 5.5 kJ/m²/day (Equivalent to UVI ≥ 8) (average 2021 to 2024) ²

Data visualization summarizes the analysis of excessive heat in Brazil, disaggregated by municipality, population, and crops, to identify spatial differences and heat stress hotspots across dimensions. By translating complex climate and socio-environmental data into accessible visual formats, data visualization supports better decision-making, enabling targeted interventions, risk prioritization, and policies that advance decent work in agriculture.

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Footnotes

1. International Labour Organization (ILO). Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate. https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/resources-library/publications/WCMS_893111/lang–en/index.htm

2. TEMIS - Daily UV index and UV dose data from MSR- 2 ( uv dec ) https://www.temis.nl/uvradiation/UVarchive/uvncfiles_msr2.php